Activation of GIRK channels by muscarinic receptors and group II metabotropic glutamate receptors suppresses Golgi cell activity in the cochlear nucleus of mice

Molecular logic for cellular specializations that initiate the auditory parallel processing pathways

The cochlear nuclear complex (CN), the starting point for all central auditory processing, encompasses a suite of neuronal cell types highly specialized for neural coding of acoustic signals. However, the molecular logic governing these specializations remains unknown. By combining single-nucleus RNA sequencing and Patch-seq analysis, we reveal a set of transcriptionally distinct cell populations encompassing all previously observed types and discover multiple hitherto unknown subtypes with anatomical and physiological identity. The resulting comprehensive cell-type taxonomy reconciles anatomical position, morphological, physiological, and molecular criteria, enabling the determination of the molecular basis of the specialized cellular phenotypes in the CN. In particular, CN cell-type identity is encoded in a transcriptional architecture that orchestrates functionally congruent expression across a small set of gene families to customize projection patterns, input-output synaptic communication, and biophysical features required for encoding distinct aspects of acoustic signals. This high-resolution account of cellular heterogeneity from the molecular to the circuit level reveals the molecular logic driving cellular specializations, thus enabling the genetic dissection of auditory processing and hearing disorders with a high specificity.

Expression of group II mGluRs in the inferior colliculus, medial geniculate body, and auditory cortex increases with age

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are widely expressed throughout the central nervous system. They are linked to G-protein coupled receptors and are known to modulate synaptic transmission. The data regarding their expression in auditory structures are not systematic and mainly originate from physiological studies where expression was used to support physiological findings. MGluRs are classified into three groups based on their sequence homology, G protein-coupling, and ligand selectivity. Our recent physiological findings made us focus on the group II mGluRs. The objective of this study was to characterize group II mGluR expression, and whether it changes in aged brains, in three central auditory structures: inferior colliculus (IC), medial geniculate body (MG), and auditory cortex (AC). We performed immunostaining experiments followed by optical density quantification in young and old mice. We found group II mGluR staining in the IC, MG, and AC. However, the intensity of this staining was not uniform within these auditory structures. In the IC expression was more intense in the dorsal compared to ventral part. Contrarily, the staining was more pronounced in the ventral part of the MG. In the AC, the staining was more intense near the surface and diminished toward white matter. We also found that the overall expression level of mGluR2/3 was increased significantly in aged animals in all auditory structures tested. Collectively, our detailed immunostaining findings suggest that the group II mGluRs are widely expressed throughout the central auditory system and their contribution to auditory processing increases with age.

Molecular logic for cellular specializations that initiate the auditory parallel processing pathways

The cochlear nuclear complex (CN), the starting point for all central auditory processing, comprises a suite of neuronal cell types that are highly specialized for neural coding of acoustic signals, yet molecular logic governing cellular specializations remains unknown. By combining single-nucleus RNA sequencing and Patch-seq analysis, we reveal a set of transcriptionally distinct cell populations encompassing all previously observed types and discover multiple new subtypes with anatomical and physiological identity. The resulting comprehensive cell-type taxonomy reconciles anatomical position, morphological, physiological, and molecular criteria, enabling the determination of the molecular basis of the remarkable cellular phenotypes in the CN. In particular, CN cell-type identity is encoded in a transcriptional architecture that orchestrates functionally congruent expression across a small set of gene families to customize projection patterns, input-output synaptic communication, and biophysical features required for encoding distinct aspects of acoustic signals. This high-resolution account of cellular heterogeneity from the molecular to the circuit level illustrates molecular logic for cellular specializations and enables genetic dissection of auditory processing and hearing disorders with unprecedented specificity.

Cholinergic modulation in the vertebrate auditory pathway

Acetylcholine (ACh) is a prevalent neurotransmitter throughout the nervous system. In the brain, ACh is widely regarded as a potent neuromodulator. In neurons, ACh signals are conferred through a variety of receptors that influence a broad range of neurophysiological phenomena such as transmitter release or membrane excitability. In sensory circuitry, ACh modifies neural responses to stimuli and coordinates the activity of neurons across multiple levels of processing. These factors enable individual neurons or entire circuits to rapidly adapt to the dynamics of complex sensory stimuli, underscoring an essential role for ACh in sensory processing. In the auditory system, histological evidence shows that acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are expressed at virtually every level of the ascending auditory pathway. Despite its apparent ubiquity in auditory circuitry, investigation of the roles of this cholinergic network has been mainly focused on the inner ear or forebrain structures, while less attention has been directed at regions between the cochlear nuclei and midbrain. In this review, we highlight what is known about cholinergic function throughout the auditory system from the ear to the cortex, but with a particular emphasis on brainstem and midbrain auditory centers. We will focus on receptor expression, mechanisms of modulation, and the functional implications of ACh for sound processing, with the broad goal of providing an overview of a newly emerging view of impactful cholinergic modulation throughout the auditory pathway.

Characterization of three cholinergic inputs to the cochlear nucleus

Acetylcholine modulates responses throughout the auditory system, including at the earliest brain level, the cochlear nucleus (CN). Previous studies have shown multiple sources of cholinergic input to the CN but information about their relative contributions and the distribution of inputs from each source is lacking. Here, we used staining for cholinergic axons and boutons, retrograde tract tracing, and acetylcholine-selective anterograde tracing to characterize three sources of acetylcholine input to the CN in mice. Staining for cholinergic axons showed heavy cholinergic inputs to granule cell areas and the dorsal CN with lighter input to the ventral CN. Retrograde tract tracing revealed that cholinergic cells from the superior olivary complex, pontomesencephalic tegmentum, and lateral paragigantocellular nucleus send projections to the CN. When we selectively labeled cholinergic axons from each source to the CN, we found surprising similarities in their terminal distributions, with patterns that were overlapping rather than complementary. Each source heavily targeted granule cell areas and the dorsal CN (especially the deep dorsal CN) and sent light input into the ventral CN. Our results demonstrate convergence of cholinergic inputs from multiple sources in most regions of the CN and raise the possibility of convergence onto single CN cells. Linking sources of acetylcholine and their patterns of activity to modulation of specific cell types in the CN will be an important next step in understanding cholinergic modulation of early auditory processing.

Group II Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Modulate Sound Evoked and Spontaneous Activity in the Mouse Inferior Colliculus

Little is known about the functions of Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs2/3) in the inferior colliculus (IC), a midbrain structure that is a major integration region of the central auditory system. We investigated how these receptors modulate sound-evoked and spontaneous firing in the mouse IC in vivo. We first performed immunostaining and tested hearing thresholds to validate vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT)-ChR2 transgenic mice on a mixed CBA/CaJ x C57BL/6J genetic background. Transgenic animals allowed for optogenetic cell-type identification. Extracellular single neuron recordings were obtained before and after pharmacological mGluR2/3 activation. We observed increased sound-evoked firing, as assessed by the rate-level functions (RLFs), in a subset of both GABAergic and non-GABAergic IC neurons following mGluR2/3 pharmacological activation. These neurons also displayed elevated spontaneous excitability and were distributed throughout the IC area tested, suggesting a widespread mGluR2/3 distribution in the mouse IC.

Identification of an inhibitory neuron subtype, the L-stellate cell of the cochlear nucleus

Auditory processing depends upon inhibitory signaling by interneurons, even at its earliest stages in the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN). Remarkably, to date only a single subtype of inhibitory neuron has been documented in the VCN, a projection neuron termed the D-stellate cell. With the use of a transgenic mouse line, optical clearing, and imaging techniques, combined with electrophysiological tools, we revealed a population of glycinergic cells in the VCN distinct from the D-stellate cell. These multipolar glycinergic cells were smaller in soma size and dendritic area, but over ten-fold more numerous than D-stellate cells. They were activated by auditory nerve and T-stellate cells, and made local inhibitory synaptic contacts on principal cells of the VCN. Given their abundance, combined with their narrow dendritic fields and axonal projections, it is likely that these neurons, here termed L-stellate cells, play a significant role in frequency-specific processing of acoustic signals.

F-phenibut (β-(4-Fluorophenyl)-GABA), a potent GABAB receptor agonist, activates an outward-rectifying K+ current and suppresses the generation of action potentials in mouse cerebellar Purkinje cells

The GABA analog phenibut (β-Phenyl-GABA) is a GABA_B receptor agonist that has been licensed for various uses in Russia. Phenibut is also available as a dietary supplement from online vendors worldwide, and previous studies have indicated that phenibut overdose results in intoxication, withdrawal symptoms, and addiction. F-phenibut (β-(4-Fluorophenyl)-GABA), a derivative of phenibut, has not been approved for clinical use. However, it is also available as a nootropic supplement from online suppliers. F-phenibut binds to GABA_B with a higher affinity than phenibut; therefore, F-phenibut may lead to more serious intoxication than phenibut. However, the mechanisms by which F-phenibut acts on GABA_B receptors and influences neuronal function remain unknown. In the present study, we compared the potency of F-phenibut, phenibut, and the GABA_B agonist (±)-baclofen (baclofen) using in vitro patch-clamp recordings obtained from mouse cerebellar Purkinje cells slice preparations Our findings indicate that F-phenibut acted as a potent GABA_B agonist. EC₅₀ of outward current density evoked by the three GABA_B agonists decreased in the following order: phenibut (1362 μM) > F-phenibut (23.3 μM) > baclofen (6.0 μM). The outward current induced by GABA_B agonists was an outward-rectifying K⁺ current, in contrast to the previous finding that GABA_B agonists activates an inward-rectifying K⁺ current. The K⁺ current recorded in the present study was insensitive to extracellular Ba²⁺, intra- or extracellular Cs⁺, and intra- or extracellular tetraethylammonium-Cl. Moreover, F-phenibut suppressed action potential generation in Purkinje cells. Thus, abuse of F-phenibut may lead to severe damage by inhibiting the excitability of GABA_B-expressing neurons.

Loose coupling between SK and P/Q-type Ca2+ channels in cartwheel cells of the dorsal cochlear nucleus

Small-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (SK) and large-conductance voltage- and Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (BK) channels are Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels that control action potential firing in diverse neurons in the brain. In cartwheel cells of the dorsal cochlear nucleus, blockade of either channel type leads to excessive production of spike bursts. In the same cells, P/Q-type Ca²⁺ channels in plasma membrane and ryanodine receptors in endoplasmic reticulum supply Ca²⁺ to BK channels through Ca²⁺ nanodomain signaling. In this study, voltage-clamp experiments were performed in cartwheel cells in mouse brain slices to examine the Ca²⁺ signaling pathways underlying activation of SK channels. As with BK channels, SK channels required the activity of P/Q-type Ca²⁺ channels. However, this signaling occurred across Ca²⁺ micro- rather than nanodomain distances and was independent of Ca²⁺ release from endoplasmic reticulum. These differential modes of activation may lead to distinct time courses of the two K⁺ currents and therefore control excitability of auditory neurons across different timescales.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study has shown for the first time that in cartwheel cells of the dorsal cochlear nucleus, small-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (SK) channels were triggered by the activation of P/Q-type Ca²⁺ channels in which SK-P/Q-type coupling is mediated within the Ca²⁺ microdomains (loose coupling). Although Ca²⁺-induced Ca²⁺ release is able to activate large-conductance voltage- and Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (BK) channels in cartwheel cells, it did not contribute to SK activation.

Acute spatial spread of NO-mediated potentiation during hindpaw ischaemia in mice

Key points

Neuropathic pain spreads spatially beyond the injured sites, and the mechanism underlying the spread has been attributed to inflammation occurring in the spinal cord.

However, the spatial spread of spinal/cortical potentiation induced by conduction block of the peripheral nerves can be observed prior to inflammation.

In the present study, we found that spreading potentiation and hypersensitivity acutely induced by unilateral hindpaw ischaemia are nitric oxide (NO)‐dependent and that NO is produced by ischaemia and quickly diffuses within the spinal cord.

We also found that NO production induced by ischaemia is not observed in the presence of an antagonist for group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and that neuronal NO synthase‐positive dorsal horn neurons express group II mGluRs.

These results suggest strongly that NO‐mediated spreading potentiation in the spinal cord is one of the trigger mechanisms for neuropathic pain.

Abstract

Cortical/spinal responses to hindpaw stimulation are bilaterally potentiated by unilateral hindpaw ischaemia in mice. We tested the hypothesis that hindpaw ischaemia produces nitric oxide (NO), which diffuses in the spinal cord to induce spatially spreading potentiation. Using flavoprotein fluorescence imaging, we confirmed that the spreading potentiation in hindpaw responses was induced during ischaemia in the non‐stimulated hindpaw. This spreading potentiation was blocked by spinal application of l‐NAME, an inhibitor of NO synthase (NOS). Furthermore, no spreading potentiation was observed in neural NOS (nNOS) knockout mice. Spinal application of an NO donor was enough to induce cortical potentiation and mechanical hypersensitivity. The spatial distribution of NO during unilateral hindpaw ischaemia was visualized using 4‐amino‐5‐methylamino‐2′,7′‐difluorofluorescein (DAF‐FM). An increase in fluorescence derived from the complex of DAF‐FM with NO was observed on the ischaemic side of the spinal cord. A similar but smaller increase was also observed on the contralateral side. Somatosensory potentiation after hindpaw ischaemia is known to be inhibited by spinal application of LY354740, an agonist of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). We confirmed that the spinal DAF‐FM fluorescence increases during hindpaw ischaemia were not observed in the presence of LY354740. We also confirmed that approximately half of the nNOS‐positive neurons in the superficial laminae of the dorsal horn expressed mGluR2 mRNA. These results suggest that disinhibition of mGluR2 produces NO which in turn induces a spreading potentiation in a wide area of the spinal cord. Such spreading, along with the consequent non‐specific potentiation in the spinal cord, may trigger neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain spreads spatially beyond the injured sites, and the mechanism underlying the spread has been attributed to inflammation occurring in the spinal cord.

However, the spatial spread of spinal/cortical potentiation induced by conduction block of the peripheral nerves can be observed prior to inflammation.

In the present study, we found that spreading potentiation and hypersensitivity acutely induced by unilateral hindpaw ischaemia are nitric oxide (NO)‐dependent and that NO is produced by ischaemia and quickly diffuses within the spinal cord.

We also found that NO production induced by ischaemia is not observed in the presence of an antagonist for group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and that neuronal NO synthase‐positive dorsal horn neurons express group II mGluRs.

These results suggest strongly that NO‐mediated spreading potentiation in the spinal cord is one of the trigger mechanisms for neuropathic pain.

Involvement of extrasynaptic glutamate in physiological and pathophysiological changes of neuronal excitability

Glutamate is the most abundant neurotransmitter of the central nervous system, as the majority of neurons use glutamate as neurotransmitter. It is also well known that this neurotransmitter is not restricted to synaptic clefts, but found in the extrasynaptic regions as ambient glutamate. Extrasynaptic glutamate originates from spillover of synaptic release, as well as from astrocytes and microglia. Its concentration is magnitudes lower than in the synaptic cleft, but receptors responding to it have higher affinity for it. Extrasynaptic glutamate receptors can be found in neuronal somatodendritic location, on astroglia, oligodendrocytes or microglia. Activation of them leads to changes of neuronal excitability with different amplitude and kinetics. Extrasynaptic glutamate is taken up by neurons and astrocytes mostly via EAAT transporters, and astrocytes, in turn metabolize it to glutamine. Extrasynaptic glutamate is involved in several physiological phenomena of the central nervous system. It regulates neuronal excitability and synaptic strength by involving astroglia; contributing to learning and memory formation, neurosecretory and neuromodulatory mechanisms, as well as sleep homeostasis.The extrasynaptic glutamatergic system is affected in several brain pathologies related to excitotoxicity, neurodegeneration or neuroinflammation. Being present in dementias, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases or tumor invasion in a seemingly uniform way, the system possibly provides a common component of their pathogenesis. Although parts of the system are extensively discussed by several recent reviews, in this review I attempt to summarize physiological actions of the extrasynaptic glutamate on neuronal excitability and provide a brief insight to its pathology for basic understanding of the topic.

Anatomy and Physiology of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in Mammalian and Avian Auditory System

Glutamate, as the major excitatory neurotransmitter used in the vertebrate brain, activates ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs and mGluRs), which mediate fast and slow neuronal actions, respectively. mGluRs play important modulatory roles in many brain areas, forming potential targets for drugs developed to treat brain disorders. Here, we review studies on mGluRs in the mammalian and avian auditory system. Although anatomical expression of mGluRs in the cochlear nucleus has been well characterized, data for other auditory nuclei await more systematic investigations especially at the electron microscopy level. The physiology of mGluRs has been extensively studied using in vitro brain slice preparations, with a focus on the auditory circuitry in the brainstem. These in vitro physiological studies have demonstrated that mGluRs participate in synaptic transmission, regulate ionic homeostasis, induce synaptic plasticity, and maintain the balance between Excitation and Inhibition (E/I) in a variety of auditory structures. However, the modulatory roles of mGluRs in auditory processing remain largely unclear at the system and behavioral levels, and the functions of mGluRs in auditory disorders remain entirely unknown.

Slow Cholinergic Modulation of Spike Probability in Ultra-Fast Time-Coding Sensory Neurons

Sensory processing in the lower auditory pathway is generally considered to be rigid and thus less subject to modulation than central processing. However, in addition to the powerful bottom-up excitation by auditory nerve fibers, the ventral cochlear nucleus also receives efferent cholinergic innervation from both auditory and nonauditory top-down sources. We thus tested the influence of cholinergic modulation on highly precise time-coding neurons in the cochlear nucleus of the Mongolian gerbil. By combining electrophysiological recordings with pharmacological application in vitro and in vivo, we found 55-72% of spherical bushy cells (SBCs) to be depolarized by carbachol on two time scales, ranging from hundreds of milliseconds to minutes. These effects were mediated by nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, respectively. Pharmacological block of muscarinic receptors hyperpolarized the resting membrane potential, suggesting a novel mechanism of setting the resting membrane potential for SBC. The cholinergic depolarization led to an increase of spike probability in SBCs without compromising the temporal precision of the SBC output in vitro. In vivo, iontophoretic application of carbachol resulted in an increase in spontaneous SBC activity. The inclusion of cholinergic modulation in an SBC model predicted an expansion of the dynamic range of sound responses and increased temporal acuity. Our results thus suggest of a top-down modulatory system mediated by acetylcholine which influences temporally precise information processing in the lower auditory pathway.

Auditory Golgi cells are interconnected predominantly by electrical synapses

The mossy fiber-granule cell-parallel fiber system conveys proprioceptive and corollary discharge information to principal cells in cerebellum-like systems. In the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN), Golgi cells inhibit granule cells and thus regulate information transfer along the mossy fiber-granule cell-parallel fiber pathway. Whereas excitatory synaptic inputs to Golgi cells are well understood, inhibitory and electrical synaptic inputs to Golgi cells have not been examined. Using paired recordings in a mouse brain slice preparation, we find that Golgi cells of the cochlear nucleus reliably form electrical synapses onto one another. Golgi cells were only rarely electrically coupled to superficial stellate cells, which form a separate network of electrically coupled interneurons in the DCN. Spikelets had a biphasic effect on the excitability of postjunctional Golgi cells, with a brief excitatory phase and a prolonged inhibitory phase due to the propagation of the prejunctional afterhyperpolarization through gap junctions. Golgi cells and stellate cells made weak inhibitory chemical synapses onto Golgi cells with low probability. Electrical synapses are therefore the predominant form of synaptic communication between auditory Golgi cells. We propose that electrical synapses between Golgi cells may function to regulate the synchrony of Golgi cell firing when electrically coupled Golgi cells receive temporally correlated excitatory synaptic input.

Spinal mechanisms underlying potentiation of hindpaw responses observed after transient hindpaw ischemia in mice

Transient ischemia produces postischemic tingling sensation. Ischemia also produces nerve conduction block that may modulate spinal neural circuits. In the present study, reduced mechanical thresholds for hindpaw-withdrawal reflex were found in mice after transient hindpaw ischemia, which was produced by a high pressure applied around the hindpaw for 30 min. The reduction in the threshold was blocked by spinal application of LY354740, a specific agonist of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors. Neural activities in the spinal cord and the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) were investigated using activity-dependent changes in endogenous fluorescence derived from mitochondrial flavoproteins. Ischemic treatment induced potentiation of the ipsilateral spinal and contralateral S1 responses to hindpaw stimulation. Both types of potentiation were blocked by spinal application of LY354740. The contralateral S1 responses, abolished by lesioning the ipsilateral dorsal column, reappeared after ischemic treatment, indicating that postischemic tingling sensation reflects a sensory modality shift from tactile sensation to nociception in the spinal cord. Changes in neural responses were investigated during ischemic treatment in the contralateral spinal cord and the ipsilateral S1. Potentiation already appeared during ischemic treatment for 30 min. The present findings suggest that the postischemic potentiation shares spinal mechanisms, at least in part, with neuropathic pain.

Single granule cells excite Golgi cells and evoke feedback inhibition in the cochlear nucleus

In cerebellum-like circuits, synapses from thousands of granule cells converge onto principal cells. This fact, combined with theoretical considerations, has led to the concept that granule cells encode afferent input as a population and that spiking in individual granule cells is relatively unimportant. However, granule cells also provide excitatory input to Golgi cells, each of which provide inhibition to hundreds of granule cells. We investigated whether spiking in individual granule cells could recruit Golgi cells and thereby trigger widespread inhibition in slices of mouse cochlear nucleus. Using paired whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, trains of action potentials at 100 Hz in single granule cells was sufficient to evoke spikes in Golgi cells in ∼40% of paired granule-to-Golgi cell recordings. High-frequency spiking in single granule cells evoked IPSCs in ∼5% of neighboring granule cells, indicating that bursts of activity in single granule cells can recruit feedback inhibition from Golgi cells. Moreover, IPSPs mediated by single Golgi cell action potentials paused granule cell firing, suggesting that inhibitory events recruited by activity in single granule cells were able to control granule cell firing. These results suggest a previously unappreciated relationship between population coding and bursting in single granule cells by which spiking in a small number of granule cells may have an impact on the activity of a much larger number of granule cells.

The Structural Development of the Mouse Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus

The dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is a major subdivision of the mammalian cochlear nucleus (CN) that is thought to be involved in sound localization in the vertical plane and in feature extraction of sound stimuli. The main principal cell type (pyramidal cells) integrates auditory and non-auditory inputs, which are considered to be important in performing sound localization tasks. This study aimed to investigate the histological development of the CD-1 mouse DCN, focussing on the postnatal period spanning the onset of hearing (P12). Fluorescent Nissl staining revealed that the three layers of the DCN were identifiable as early as P6 with subsequent expansion of all layers with age. Significant increases in the size of pyramidal and cartwheel cells were observed between birth and P12. Immunohistochemistry showed substantial changes in synaptic distribution during the first two postnatal weeks with subsequent maturation of the presumed mossy fibre terminals. In addition, GFAP immunolabelling identified several glial cell types in the DCN including the observation of putative tanycytes for the first time. Each glial cell type had specific spatial and temporal patterns of maturation with apparent rapid development during the first two postnatal weeks but little change thereafter. The rapid maturation of the structural organization and DCN components prior to the onset of hearing possibly reflects an influence from spontaneous activity originating in the cochlea/auditory nerve. Further refinement of these connections and development of the non-auditory connections may result from the arrival of acoustic input and experience dependent mechanisms.

MAM-2201, a synthetic cannabinoid drug of abuse, suppresses the synaptic input to cerebellar Purkinje cells via activation of presynaptic CB1 receptors

Herbal products containing synthetic cannabinoids-initially sold as legal alternatives to marijuana-have become major drugs of abuse. Among the synthetic cannabinoids, [1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indol-3-yl](4-methyl-1-naphthalenyl)-methanone (MAM-2201) has been recently detected in herbal products and has psychoactive and intoxicating effects in humans, suggesting that MAM-2201 alters brain function. Nevertheless, the pharmacological actions of MAM-2201 on cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) and neuronal functions have not been elucidated. We found that MAM-2201 acted as an agonist of human CB1Rs expressed in AtT-20 cells. In whole-cell patch-clamp recordings made from Purkinje cells (PCs) in slice preparations of the mouse cerebellum, we also found that MAM-2201 inhibited glutamate release at parallel fiber-PC synapses via activation of presynaptic CB1Rs. MAM-2201 inhibited neurotransmitter release with an inhibitory concentration 50% of 0.36 μM. MAM-2201 caused greater inhibition of neurotransmitter release than Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol within the range of 0.1-30 μM and JWH-018, one of the most popular and potent synthetic cannabinoids detected in the herbal products, within the range of 0.03-3 μM. MAM-2201 caused a concentration-dependent suppression of GABA release onto PCs. Furthermore, MAM-2201 induced suppression of glutamate release at climbing fiber-PC synapses, leading to reduced dendritic Ca(2+) transients in PCs. These results suggest that MAM-2201 is likely to suppress neurotransmitter release at CB1R-expressing synapses in humans. The reduction of neurotransmitter release from CB1R-containing synapses could contribute to some of the symptoms of synthetic cannabinoid intoxication including impairments in cerebellum-dependent motor coordination and motor learning.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors in auditory processing

As the major excitatory neurotransmitter used in the vertebrate brain, glutamate activates ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), which mediate fast and slow neuronal actions, respectively. Important modulatory roles of mGluRs have been shown in many brain areas, and drugs targeting mGluRs have been developed for the treatment of brain disorders. Here, I review studies on mGluRs in the auditory system. Anatomical expression of mGluRs in the cochlear nucleus has been well characterized, while data for other auditory nuclei await more systematic investigations at both the light and electron microscopy levels. The physiology of mGluRs has been extensively studied using in vitro brain slice preparations, with a focus on the lower auditory brainstem in both mammals and birds. These in vitro physiological studies have revealed that mGluRs participate in neurotransmission, regulate ionic homeostasis, induce synaptic plasticity, and maintain the balance between excitation and inhibition in a variety of auditory structures. However, very few in vivo physiological studies on mGluRs in auditory processing have been undertaken at the systems level. Many questions regarding the essential roles of mGluRs in auditory processing still remain unanswered and more rigorous basic research is warranted.

Cholinergic modulation of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels regulates synaptic strength and spine calcium in cartwheel cells of the dorsal cochlear nucleus

Acetylcholine is a neuromodulatory transmitter that controls synaptic plasticity and sensory processing in many brain regions. The dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is an auditory brainstem nucleus that integrates auditory signals from the cochlea with multisensory inputs from several brainstem nuclei and receives prominent cholinergic projections. In the auditory periphery, cholinergic modulation serves a neuroprotective function, reducing cochlear output under high sound levels. However, the role of cholinergic signaling in the DCN is less understood. Here we examine postsynaptic mechanisms of cholinergic modulation at glutamatergic synapses formed by parallel fiber axons onto cartwheel cells (CWCs) in the apical DCN circuit from mouse brainstem slice using calcium (Ca) imaging combined with two-photon laser glutamate uncaging onto CWC spines. Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) significantly increased the amplitude of both uncaging-evoked EPSPs (uEPSPs) and spine Ca transients. Our results demonstrate that mAChRs in CWC spines act by suppressing large-conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels, and this effect is mediated through the cAMP/protein kinase A signaling pathway. Blocking BK channels relieves voltage-dependent magnesium block of NMDA receptors, thereby enhancing uEPSPs and spine Ca transients. Finally, we demonstrate that mAChR activation inhibits L-type Ca channels and thus may contribute to the suppression of BK channels by mAChRs. In summary, we demonstrate a novel role for BK channels in regulating glutamatergic transmission and show that this mechanism is under modulatory control of mAChRs.

Activation of muscarinic receptors increases the activity of the granule neurones of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus--a calcium imaging study

Acetylcholine modulates the function of the cochlear nucleus via several pathways. In this study, the effects of cholinergic stimulation were studied on the cytoplasmic Ca(2+) concentration of granule neurones of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). Ca(2+) transients were recorded in Oregon-Green-BAPTA 1-loaded brain slices using a calcium imaging technique. For the detection, identification and characterisation of the Ca(2+) transients, a wavelet analysis-based method was developed. Granule cells were identified on the basis of their size and localisation. The action potential-coupled character of the Ca(2+) transients of the granule cells was established by recording fluorescence changes and electrical activity simultaneously. Application of the cholinergic agonist carbamyl-choline (CCh) significantly increased the frequency of the Ca(2+) transients (from 0.37 to 6.31 min(-1), corresponding to a 17.1-fold increase; n = 89). This effect was antagonised by atropine, whereas CCh could still evoke an 8.3-fold increase of the frequency of the Ca(2+) transients when hexamethonium was present. Using immunolabelling, the expression of both type 1 and type 3 muscarinic receptors (M1 and M3 receptors, respectively) was demonstrated in the granule cells. Application of 1,1-dimethyl-4-diphenylacetoxypiperidinium iodide (an M3-specific antagonist) prevented the onset of the CCh effect, whereas an M1-specific antagonist (pirenzepine) was less effective. We conclude that cholinergic stimulation increases the activity of granule cells, mainly by acting on their M3 receptors. The modulation of the firing activity of the granule cells, in turn, may modify the firing of projection neurones and may adjust signal processing in the entire DCN.

Initial phase of neuropathic pain within a few hours after nerve injury in mice

We tested a hypothesis that the spinal plasticity induced within a few hours after nerve injury may produce changes in cortical activities and an initial phase of neuropathic pain. Somatosensory cortical responses elicited by vibratory stimulation were visualized by transcranial flavoprotein fluorescence imaging in mice. These responses were reduced immediately after cutting the sensory nerves. However, the remaining cortical responses mediated by nearby nerves were potentiated within a few hours after nerve cutting. Nerve injury induces neuropathic pain. In the present study, mice exhibited tactile allodynia 1-2 weeks after nerve injury. Lesioning of the ipsilateral dorsal column, mediating tactile cortical responses, abolished somatic cortical responses to tactile stimuli. However, nontactile cortical responses appeared in response to the same tactile stimuli within a few hours after nerve injury, indicating that tactile allodynia was acutely initiated. We investigated the trigger mechanisms underlying the cortical changes. Endogenous glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), found in the Meissner corpuscles, induced basal firing ∼0.1 Hz or less in its Aβ tactile afferents, and disruption of the basal firing triggered the potentiation of nontactile cortical responses. Application of 10 nm LY341495 [(2S)-2-amino-2-[(1S,2S)-2-carboxycycloprop-1-yl]-3-(xanth-9-yl) propanoic acid], a specific antagonist of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), on to the surface of the spinal cord also induced the potentiation of nontactile cortical responses. Together, it is suggested that low-frequency afferent firing produced by GDNF in touch-sensitive nerve fibers continuously activated spinal group II mGluRs and that failure of this activation triggered tactile allodynia.

Postsynaptic and presynaptic group II metabotropic glutamate receptor activation reduces neuronal excitability in rat midline paraventricular thalamic nucleus

Drugs that interact with group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are presently being evaluated for a role in the treatment of anxiety disorders and symptoms of schizophrenia. Their mechanism of action is believed to involve a reduction in excitatory neurotransmission in limbic and forebrain regions commonly associated with these mental disorders. In rodents, the glutamatergic neurons in the midline paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) provide excitatory inputs to the limbic system and forebrain. PVT also displays a high density of group II mGluRs, predominantly the metabotropic glutamate 2 receptor (mGluR2). Because the role of group II mGluRs in regulating cellular and synaptic excitability in this location has yet to be determined, we used whole-cell patch-clamp recording and acute rat brain slice preparations to evaluate PVT neuron responses to a selective group II mGluR agonist, (1R,4R,5S,6R)-4-amino-2-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (LY 379268). LY 379268 consistently induced membrane hyperpolarization and suppressed firing by postsynaptic receptor-mediated activation of a barium-sensitive background K(+) conductance. This effect could be blocked by (2S)-2-amino-2-[(1S,2S)-2-carboxycycloprop-1-yl]-3-(xanth-9-yl)propanoic acid (LY 341495), a selective group II mGluR antagonist. In addition, LY 379268 acted at presynaptic receptors to reduce ionotropic glutamate receptor-mediated excitatory synaptic transmission. An mGluR2-positive allosteric modulator, 2,2,2-trifluoro-N-[4-(2-methoxyphenoxy)phenyl]-N-(3-pyridinylmethyl)ethanesulfonamide hydrochloride (LY 487379), resulted in leftward shifts of the LY 379268 dose-response curve for both postsynaptic and presynaptic actions. The data demonstrate that activation of postsynaptic and presynaptic group II (presumably mGluR2) mGluRs reduces neuronal excitability in midline thalamus, an action that may contribute to the effectiveness of mGluR2-activating drugs in rodent models of anxiety and psychosis.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors in median preoptic neurons modulate neuronal excitability and glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs from the subfornical organ

Cardiovascular and behavioral responses to circulating angiotensin require intact connectivity along the upper lamina terminalis joining the subfornical organ (SFO) with the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO). In the present study on MnPO neurons, we used whole cell patch-clamp recording techniques in brain slice preparations to evaluate the influence of metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonists on modulating their intrinsic excitability and SFO-evoked glutamatergic and GABAergic postsynaptic currents. In 22/36 cells, bath application of a mGluR group I agonist (S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) induced a TTX-resistant inward current coupled with decrease in a membrane K(+) conductance but also a possible increase in a nonselective cationic conductance. By contrast, 27/49 cells responded to a mGluR group II agonist (2S,2'R,3'R)-2-(2',3'-dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine (DCG IV) with a TTX-resistant outward current and increase in membrane conductance that reversed around -95 mV, suggesting opening of K(+) channels. None of 19 cells responded to the mGluR group III agonist l-(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (l-AP4). Agonists for all mGluR groups suppressed SFO-evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents and significantly increased paired-pulse ratios, implying a presynaptic mechanism. Only the mGluR group II agonist significantly reduced SFO-evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents and caused an increase in paired-pulse ratios. These results suggest a complexity of pre- and postsynaptic mGluRs are available to modulate rapid neurotransmission along the upper lamina terminalis from SFO to MnPO.

Targets, receptors and effects of muscarinic neuromodulation on giant neurones of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus

Although cholinergic modulation of the cochlear nucleus (CN) is functionally important, neither its cellular consequences nor the types of receptors conveying it are precisely known. The aim of this work was to characterise the cholinergic effects on giant cells of the CN, using electrophysiology and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Application of the cholinergic agonist carbachol increased the spontaneous activity of the giant cells; which was partly the consequence of the reduction in a K(+) conductance. This effect was mediated via M4 and M3 receptors. Cholinergic modulation also affected the synaptic transmission targeting the giant cells. Excitatory synaptic currents evoked by the stimulation of the superficial and deep regions of the CN were sensitive to cholinergic modulation: the amplitude of the first postsynaptic current was reduced, and the short-term depression was also altered. These changes were mediated via M3 receptors alone and via the combination of M4, M2 and M3 receptors, when the superficial and deep layers, respectively, were activated. Inhibitory synaptic currents evoked from the superficial layer showed short-term depression, but they were unaffected by carbachol. In contrast, inhibitory currents triggered by the activation of the deep parts exhibited no significant short-term depression, but they were highly sensitive to cholinergic activation, which was mediated via M3 receptors. Our results indicate that pre- and postsynaptic muscarinic receptors mediate cholinergic modulation on giant cells. The present findings shed light on the cellular mechanisms of a tonic cholinergic modulation in the CN, which may become particularly important in evoking contralateral excitatory responses under certain pathological conditions.

Distribution and phenotypes of unipolar brush cells in relation to the granule cell system of the rat cochlear nucleus

In most mammals the cochlear nuclear complex (CN) contains a distributed system of granule cells (GCS), whose parallel fiber axons innervate the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). Like their counterpart in cerebellum, CN granules are innervated by mossy fibers of various origins. The GCS is complemented by unipolar brush (UBCs) and Golgi cells, and by stellate and cartwheel cells of the DCN. This cerebellum-like microcircuit modulates the activity of the DCN's main projection neurons, the pyramidal, giant and tuberculoventral neurons, and is thought to improve auditory performance by integrating acoustic and proprioceptive information. In this paper, we focus on the rat UBCs, a chemically heterogeneous neuronal population, using antibodies to calretinin, metabotropic glutamate receptor 1alpha (mGluR1alpha), epidermal growth factor substrate 8 (Eps8) and the transcription factor T-box gene Tbr2 (Tbr2). Eps8 and Tbr2 labeled most of the CN's UBCs, if not the entire population, while calretinin and mGluR1alpha distinguished two largely separate subsets with overlapping distributions. By double labeling with antibodies to Tbr2 and the alpha6 GABA receptor A (GABAA) subunit, we found that UBCs populate all regions of the GCS and occur at remarkably high densities in the DCN and subpeduncular corner, but rarely in the lamina. Although GCS subregions likely share the same microcircuitry, their dissimilar UBC densities suggest they may be functionally distinct. UBCs and granules are also present in regions previously not included in the GCS, namely the rostrodorsal magnocellular portions of ventral cochlear nucleus, vestibular nerve root, trapezoid body, spinal tract and sensory and principal nuclei of the trigeminal nerve, and cerebellar peduncles. The UBC's dendritic brush receives AMPA- and NMDA-mediated input from an individual mossy fiber, favoring singularity of input, and its axon most likely forms several mossy fiber-like endings that target numerous granule cells and other UBCs, as in the cerebellum. The UBCs therefore, may amplify afferent signals temporally and spatially, synchronizing pools of target neurons.

Presynaptic GABA(B) receptors modulate synaptic facilitation and depression at distinct synapses in fusiform cells of mouse dorsal cochlear nucleus

The mammalian dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is considered to contribute to the localization of the sound sources. Fusiform cells (FCs), principal projection neurons in the DCN, integrate two excitatory inputs from auditory nerve fibers (ANFs) and parallel fibers (PFs). Although an immunohistochemical study suggested presence of GABA(B) receptors at excitatory presynaptic terminals in the DCN, it has not been elucidated how GABA(B) receptors modulate the synaptic transmission to FCs. Here, we examined effects of baclofen on the transmission in vitro. Baclofen reduced both PF-EPSC and ANF-EPSC by reducing transmitter releases, and it enhanced the facilitation in PF-FC synapses and prevented the depression in ANF-FC synapses. The enhancement and prevention were prominent during high-frequency (50Hz) synaptic input, suggesting the activation of presynaptic GABA(B) receptors may optimize both PF-FC and ANF-FC synapses for high-frequency transmission. Postsynaptic GABA(B) receptors activated GIRK current and would further modulate the activity of FCs.